


Blütenträume

by Rach4040



Category: Stray Kids (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Author Is Sleep Deprived, M/M, and that i was maybe able to include some of the magic of studio ghibli, but different characters and relationships between them, hyunjin isnt in this much im afraid, i rlly hope i havent butchered any of the magic that spirited away holds, idk what im doing but. one tries, im recycling this title from one of my older works lmao, im rlly shitty at summaries and titles im sorry, its based broadly on spirited away, just a woojin-centric spirited away au, the major plot points are similar, the title is german but the story itself is in english dont worry
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-05-17
Updated: 2019-05-17
Packaged: 2020-03-07 02:24:21
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,533
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18863821
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rach4040/pseuds/Rach4040
Summary: Woojin came to the bath house to learn. He could have never expected what was in store for him there - a moody boss, new friends, mysterious wizards and curious incidents that would end up getting him abducted. But the relationships he builds and the experiences he makes might just be worth it.





	Blütenträume

**Author's Note:**

> So to start this off:
> 
> \- i know p much nothing abt flowers/herbs so. ill try and skirt around these topics in the story sorry if its very noticeable
> 
> \- this is broadly based off studio ghibli's movie spirited away, but the characters are skz and their relationships are different to the characters' in spirited away, the setting is the same tho.
> 
> \- title can be roughly translated to... flowery dreams? blooming dreams? its from goethe's poem prometheus, i just fell in love with the word. and i didnt have a better idea for a title. so. here we are. with a terribly pretentious title. soz.
> 
> \- id also like to point out right away that im not an expert on japanese mythology, so this work falls flat in that aspect.
> 
> \- hope u enjoy!

Woojin looked back up the staircase he had just descended. It was worn down, probably by weather and just general neglect, a few steps missing, replaced by a watery blue abyss far below. This was where one of the employees, a tall, handsome boy, had directed Woojin to when Woojin had asked for Kamaji. The employee had seemed confused as to why someone would ask to see the old man that operated the boilers and produced their bath salts.

But Woojin had good reason to ask for Kamaji. He took a deep breath before knocking on the rusty metal door. He could hear loud, mechanical noises right behind it, and when nobody answered the door, he figured Kamaji must have not heard him. Woojin knocked again, louder this time. When the door remained unanswered, he decided to open it himself. It was unlocked, but heavy and when Woojin pushed it open he felt his muscles strain against the weight of the door. He was greeted with a waft of hot air and the strong scent of spices and dried herbs. "Ah, damn it. I'd hoped you'd leave if nobody answered you," a loud, raspy voice exclaimed.

Woojin looked about the room, took in the pit right behind the door, around 30 or 40 centimetres deeper than ledge Woojin was standing on. The pit spanned half of the room, the rest was elevated to around the same height as Woojin's current ground. The wooden floor within the pit was covered in dark grime but turned to metal where it approached the burner which exhaled scalding hot breaths of air into the room.

The walls were covered in drawers, all the way up to the ceiling many metres above the ground, little yellowing notes attached just under the handles.

However, what really caught Woojin's eye was the man in the centre of the room, crouched in a large chair and leant over a porcelain mortar. Woojin had heard rumours of Kamaji's appearance, but he hadn’t been prepared for the six arms that sprang forth from his skinny torso, long and skinny, almost like a spider. The man hadn't yet turned to face Woojin, focused on his work.

"You must be Kamaji, correct?" Woojin asked carefully, stepping into the room and letting the door fall closed behind him. The heat in the room turned almost unbearable with the gentle sea breeze now shut out completely.

"Correct, boy. What do ya want here?"

"I'm looking for work. I have heard that you provide the bath house with their bath salts. I come from a family of healers and pharmacists, and I am looking to learn." Woojin explained, still waiting for Kamaji to turn towards him.

"I have no need for an apprentice or assistant or whatever position you are looking for. Go home."

Woojin frowned. The man hadn't even bothered to look at him this whole time, but Woojin had more to say. "But I am not just here to learn. I have prepared a few blends of spices that might be of interest to you and the bath house. Please let me show you them. I am confident that I can offer some ideas and truly be of help."

Kamaji halted in his motion for a second, then continued, but Woojin decided to count this as a small victory. Suddenly, one of Kamaji's arms extended sideways towards Woojin, elongating to span the distance. Woojin cringed at the sound of bones cracking, probably to accommodate the stretch.

"Show me what you've come up with, then, kid." Kamaji's hand was extended towards Woojin, palm facing upwards. His fingers were long and slim, bones and veins shining through the paper-thin skin. Woojin scrambled about, opening his bag and sorting through the contents hurriedly. He found one of the vials he had brought with him, looked at the small note attached to the lid to see which blend it was. Then he carefully placed the vial in Kamaji's hand, who plopped it open and smelled the contents, all the while never pausing his work with his other arms. "And what is this for?"

"It is for muscle pains and cramps. Relaxes any strain on the body and relieves stress. It smells of roses, but they're mostly for the scent." While he was talking, Woojin noticed small, black balls of… _something_ or other seep out of openings in the walls of the pit, carrying clumps of coal towards the burner.

"You think I don’t have my own muscle-relaxing bath salts here? What kind of bath house would we be if we couldn't even treat the simplest of discomforts?" Kamaji reverted all of his attention back to his work, handing back the vial. “And get out of the way of the Soot Sprites. They’re useful here, at least.”

"Of course, right.” So they were sprites. Woojin stepped out of their way, closer to Kamaji, careful to not squash any of the delicate-looking beings under clumsy feet. “Anyways, it's always good to offer the guests options, is it not? But I have more." Woojin took Kamaji's still offered hand as a good sign and placed a second vial in Kamaji's palm. "This is an herb my family grows in large quantities, even though it usually only appears very rarely in the wild and is difficult to domesticate." Kamaji stopped his work, sniffed this vial as well. Woojin knew the spicy-sweet scent would convince Kamaji to let him stay. "It is good for digestion and general health, but also peace of mind. It is best applied externally. I could set up for my family to send this herb every week with the other crop we supply for the bath house."

"Interesting. What else do you have to offer, kid?" Kamaji demanded.

-

As Woojin continued showing Kamaji his spice blends, the man slowly stopped his work altogether and turned towards Woojin, showcasing a large, bushy moustache and dark glasses covering his eyes. This went on for over half an hour, until they were interrupted:

"Dinner's here!" a cheerful voice called before a small sliding door in the wall opposite of the door Woojin had entered from opened, interrupting Woojin's thoughts about how else he could convince Kamaji to let him stay. The door was almost more of a window, it was merely a tiny rectangle embedded in the wall.

A tray was slid through, a young boy followed. Woojin wondered how he had been able to slide through the tiny door so effortlessly. "Hey Kamaji, you heard me? Take a break, will you?" Woojin watched the boy approach Kamaji's elevated chair, surprised at how informal he was addressing the master of herbs and warm water.

"Yeah, yeah, I get it, Seungmin," Kamaji complained loudly, but stopped working altogether anyways, stretching his many many limbs out. They cracked loudly, as if breaking, the sound almost sickening, before they reached for the tray.

Only when Kamaji had taken the tray from the boy's hands did he notice Woojin, who was still standing in the pit with the Soot Sprites now crowding around his feet. It was a strange feeling, like standing in a cloud must feel. "Oh, who's this?" The boy asked Kamaji, approaching with another little basket in his hands. Woojin noticed the Soot Sprites going mad over the boy's arrival, falling over each other in... excitement? Woojin was amazed at the emotions these little black balls of dust were able to experience. 

"He's my new apprentice." Woojin's head snapped to look at Kamaji, a grin forming on his face. Kamaji was already devouring his food, chewing loudly. A few grains of rice flew from Kamaji's mouth as he continued to speak: "Please let Changbin know that there is one more mouth to feed down here now."

"Will do, old man!" The boy grinned, a small giggle falling from his lips. 

"If I weren't so fond of you, I wouldn't hesitate to throw you in the burner along with the coal, you little devil."

"I'm Seungmin," the boy turned back towards Woojin, smiling widely. 

"Woojin. Nice to meet you." Woojin smiled back. Seungmin seemed nice, very excitable and friendly judging by the way he addressed Kamaji and hadn't stopped smiling since he'd stepped into the room. 

Seungmin skipped over, then mentioned: "Maybe now's a good time to step out of the pit. The Soot Sprites get very excited around dinner time."

Seungmin scooped some of the contents in the little basket he was carrying up with a wooden ladle, tossing them into the pit of seemingly ecstatic Soot Sprites just as Woojin stepped out of the pit. He watched the small beings fight over what looked like colourful star- and flower-shaped pellets. His stomach growled. Woojin couldn't believe he was jealous of alive soot. He'd only arrived at the bath house a few hours ago but it already turned out to be a more wondrous place than he could have ever expected.

"I'll bring you some dinner soon, along with extra bedding," Seungmin promised.

"Oh, thank you."

"Actually, Seungmin," Kamaji piped up," how about you take Woojin here with you. I know you haven’t eaten yet either and he hasn't seen the bath house. Show him around a little, will ya?"

"Sure," Seungmin answered, a happy smile on his face. He emptied the rest of the basket's content into the pit, turning around and receiving the tray back from Kamaji. Woojin watched the Soot Sprites fight over the last few pellets of food, smiling as he watched them slowly retreat back into the holes in the walls of the pit.

"You coming?" Seungmin called. He had already climbed back through the sliding door in the wall, only his head peeking into the room.

Woojin hurried over, turning back to Kamaji to bow his head. "Thank you for accepting me as your apprentice."

"Yeah, yeah, whatever. Go eat, boy" Kamaji waved him off with one hand, the others focusing on grinding up more dried herbs. "Leave your shoes here, though." He reminded just as Woojin was about to slip through the door. He quickly untied his shoelaces, then placed his shoes off to the side of the entrance to keep them out of Kamaji's way.

-

The inside of the bath house was vibrant, alive, the air pleasantly warm and humid. Seungmin fit right in with his forest green robes while Woojin stuck out in his casual shorts and T-shirt like a blade of lavender in a field of dandelions. The people in the hall they first stepped out into from Kamaji’s workplace were dressed in robes similar to Seungmin’s, either a deep green or a soft pink colour. The floor and walls were made of sandy pale wood, the ceilings several metres high.

“We should get you new clothing first, then we can go for dinner.” Seungmin said, all the while ignoring the curious glances thrown their way. Woojin felt watched from all angles.

“Sounds good.”

“So, what brings you here anyways? You don’t seem to be a traveler.” Seungmin turned a corner, then lead Woojin into a small room. The walls slid open much like the entrance to Kamaji’s work place, revealing layers upon layers of green and pink fabric.

“Oh, no. I’m from the town a train stop away.” Woojin watched as Seungmin sorted through a cupboard or two, then handed Woojin two sets of green robes. “There are many people knowledgeable in plants and herbs there, so it’s difficult to find one’s footing. And I wanted to see something new anyways.”

“Oh, The Flooded Town?” Woojin nodded. “Wow, fascinating. Few people from over there come here to work.” Seungmin opened a different cabinet, sorting through more piles of clothes. “I think there are a few pink robes in here somewhere as well, if you’d prefer those? Most of them are in smaller sizes, though…”

“Oh, green is fine. Thank you.” Woojin accepted the three sets of robes Seungmin handed him, holding them up to his body to check if they were the right size. Woojin nodded to himself, they would do just fine.

“You want to change now or later?”

“Now would be great.” Seungmin nodded, then left the room to give Woojin some privacy.

The robes were soft and smelled clean. The fell nicely around Woojin’s form, and as he stepped out into the corridor with the extra sets of robes and his outside clothes clutched under his arm, he already felt like he fit in better.

“I think it was a good idea to change now, actually. Hides the outside smell better, you know?” Seungmin commented with a friendly smile on his lips, then gestured for Woojin to keep following him. 

“If you don’t mind me asking, how did you end up here?” Woojin asked as they rounded a corner.

“Oh, I was a traveller. A while ago, now.” They took an elevator up, the few other people in the cabin looking at Woojin confusedly. He must still smell of _outside_ , he guessed. “Stumbled through the portal and decided to stay.”

The rest of the way was spent mostly silent, apart from a question or two from Woojin. The upper floors were where the guests stayed, and the many spirits and lower deities that milled about attested to the fact. Woojin respectfully lowered his gaze while Seungmin bowed towards and greeted some of them. The staff kitchens weren’t too crowded, but they still had to stand in the queue for a few minutes.

“We just missed the dinner rush. Usually there’s a lot more people here,” Seungmin explained. Seungmin handed Woojin one of the prepared trays, divided into neat sections for different foods, a large section for rice and most of the others for a variety of side dishes. “There’s a veranda on the ground floor that borders on the gardens, let’s head there. Changbin should be wandering around here somewhere, too, but if we don’t see him now, we’ll look for him after dinner.”

Changbin, who Seungmin explained to be the manager-of-sorts of the bath house, the wizard Chan’s right hand, didn’t cross their path on their way to the ground floor, so Seungmin and Woojin ate peacefully while looking over the gardens, legs dangling over the edge of the veranda, almost touching the ground. The gardens seemed to be comprised of flowers, mostly, as there were fields full of colourful flowers just beyond the walls of the bath house, stretching out as far as Woojin could see. Seungmin explained that there were vegetable fields situated just beyond the flowers that provided most of the food for the bath house, though they were hidden by the hills. The food itself was a little bland, but otherwise fine. The view over the gardens, basked in golden light from the slowly setting sun, made up for it tenfold.

While they were talking, Seungmin nodded towards a few other employees that passed by them, most of them busy with tasks, carrying large baskets and trays filled with linen or food. Another boy, maybe Seungmin’s age, waved at them as he walked through the fields. He was wearing pink robes, other than most of the men Woojin had seen so far, who generally stuck to green. Seungmin waved back. “That’s my friend, Felix. He works in the gardens. If you’re ever there you can just ask him to give you a tour, he’ll be grateful for the company.”

“I’ll remember that,” Woojin assured, watching as Felix continued trekking through the field. The sun had set further, now barely peeking over the horizon, the sky already a dark blue with stars sparkling. The paper lampions hung above their heads suddenly flicked on, casting a stark yellow-ish light over Seungmin and Woojin and their empty dinner trays.

“Okay, then let’s bring these trays back and find Changbin.”

-

Seungmin and Woojin found Changbin on the second floor, helping one of the stalls distributing bath salts restock their inventory. The second floor allowed you to look down over the railings and over the bathing areas, where gods and deities were currently taking baths. Warm, scented steam rose up, carrying the sounds of running water and excited chatter.

Changbin himself was on the shorter side, a scowl seemingly fixed on his features as he grumbled under his breath about untrustworthy employees. He was dressed in dark green robes as well, but they were adorned by delicate golden lines swirling around his collar and sleeves in intricate patterns.

“Hi Changbin!” Seungmin greeted the man cheerfully. Changbin gave a long-suffering sigh, then handed the box he was unloading to another employee and turned around. 

“What do you want, Seungmin?” he asked, tone impatient, but the small smile now playing on his lips betrayed the façade he put on. “And who’s this?” Changbin asked, gesturing towards Woojin. “He smells like outside.”

“He’s Kamaji’s new apprentice,” Seungmin supplied, bouncing on the balls of his feet. Changbin looked surprised at this new information, looking Woojin up and down sceptically. 

“I’m Woojin. It’s nice to meet you, Master Changbin,” Woojin greeted, bowing lightly. 

“Ah, no need to be so formal, Woojin! Nobody calls Changbin ‘master’ around here, that’s just his official title!” Seungmin scolded, throwing an arm around Changbin. Changbin’s left eye twitched, but he didn’t resist Seungmin’s affections. Woojin began to suspect that everyone was a little enamored with Seungmin’s cheeky attitude, but he wouldn’t blame them.

“I don’t think Kamaji has ever had an apprentice, not that I can remember,” Changbin mentioned. “But it’s good that he has some help. It’s hard work in the boiler room, but if Kamaji chose to accept you into his service he must trust that you’ll be able to handle it.”

Woojin wasn’t sure how to reply, so he just nodded and smiled. Just as Changbin was about to begin talking again, darkness suddenly fell upon them. The lampions had all gone out at the same time, it seemed, and the sudden darkness felt almost oppressing, as did the first few seconds of silence that followed its appearance. Then, a few distressed screams were heard, and low mumbling slowly built up.

“Oh, not this again,” Changbin muttered. 

“Hey, did the water stop running, too?” Seungmin asked. And, truly, the sounds of running water were silenced.

“Ah, shit. That’s the last thing we need right now,” Changbin spit out.

A moment later the lampions flickered back on, flames jumping from one to the next and fighting back the darkness. The chattering increased, and Woojin noticed people, employees and guests alike, crowding around the railings and looking up.

“Woojin, it was nice meeting you. I’m sorry, but I must go and help deal with this situation,” Changbin said, deep lines visible between his eyebrows. “Please come by Chan’s office sometime in the next few days to work out your contract.” Changbin nodded to him, then Seungmin, and he was off with a few quick steps, balancing on the nearest railing before leaping down to the ground floor.

“Oh, look! Master Chan is here,” Seungmin mentioned, dragging Woojin closer to the railings to look. A few stories above them, the wizard hovered in the air.

“Dear guests,” he began, voice strong and assured. Chan looked to be somewhere around Woojin’s age, dressed in fine fabrics and colours, jewelry glinting on his hands and around his neck, and even his ears. “Please excuse this error. We are working on stopping these blackouts from happening. While we start the running water again, you are very welcome to remain in your baths or enjoy a free buffet on the ground floor. We are sorry to have caused any disturbance to your stay at our bath house.” As Chan slowly descended towards the ground floor, his dark hair and expensive clothing were moved by a gentle breeze that Woojin couldn’t feel. 

When Chan passed the second story, seemingly not noticing all the curious eyes on him, Woojin mustered his handsome features, prominent nose, deep dimples and slightly unruly dark hair. There were almost alarmingly dark circles under his eyes, contrasting his pale skin.

Changbin greeted Chan when he landed on the ground floor, and they handled the guests together, directing them to the buffet with apologetic smiles and assurances of this error being resolved shortly.

“Master Chan is rarely seen leaving the top floor,” Seungmin explained, and Woojin curiously noticed how Seungmin referred to the head of the bath house so formally when he treated other people in high ranks rather casually.

“Has anything like this happened before?” Woojin asked, gesturing towards the lampions. He hadn’t heard of the bath house ever experiencing such mishaps, at least not since Chan had taken over.

“A few times, now. The lights have malfunctioned almost every week for a month or so. Sometimes the supplies don’t arrive on time, even though the suppliers have sworn they’ve sent them off as they usually do. All the food in the bath house turned bad in the matter of a few seconds twice this past month.” Seungmin shrugged.

“How strange,” Woojin said, wondering what sort of bad luck might have befallen the bath house.

He returned to the boiler room soon after, thoughts still swarming around mysterious mishaps and handsome wizards.

**Author's Note:**

> congrats for making it thru!!
> 
> \- idk when ill update next. the next few weeks will be very busy so whenever i have the time/motivation to continue i will
> 
> \- pls leave comments and kudos, theyre much appreciated!
> 
> \- thanks for reading!!


End file.
